On October 1, 2025, the heart of Philadelphia’s historic district pulsed with a strange mix of anticipation and disappointment. Tourists, some having traveled thousands of miles or planned for months, arrived in the city hoping to stand in the very rooms where the nation was born. Instead, they found the doors to the Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, and the Benjamin Franklin Museum firmly closed, victims of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The closures, which swept through sites managed by the National Park Service, left travelers and locals alike scrambling to salvage their plans and make sense of the confusion.
For visitors like John and Melinda Schmidt, who drove their RV from New Richmond, Wisconsin, the shutdown’s impact was both immediate and unexpected. "It never occurred to us it would be closed," John admitted, echoing the surprise felt by many who had hoped to experience the city’s most iconic landmarks. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Schmidts, along with countless others, could only peer through the glass at the Liberty Bell, a symbol of American freedom now just out of reach.
The disappointment was palpable. Gloria Isaza, a 60-year-old history enthusiast from Colombia, expressed her frustration while still trying to find a silver lining. "The history is what drew us and the bell is a really big part of that. Of course we wanted to go inside to see it," she told The Philadelphia Inquirer. Guides, too, found themselves scrambling to adapt, often discovering closures at the same moment as their guests. One guide led a group to the Benjamin Franklin Museum, only to find the doors locked and Franklin Court inaccessible as well.
These closures are not just a minor inconvenience. Independence National Historical Park, home to both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, welcomed more than 2.6 million visitors last year, according to the National Park Service. The park’s significance to Philadelphia’s tourism industry—and to the nation’s collective memory—can hardly be overstated. During the 35-day government shutdown seven years ago, Visit Philly, the city’s chief tourism agency, stepped in to cover $32,000 in operating costs to keep the landmarks open for a weekend. This time, however, there are no immediate plans for such intervention, though Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philly, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the agency might step in on a holiday weekend like Thanksgiving if the shutdown drags on.
Despite the closures, Philadelphia’s tourism boosters are quick to point out that the city remains a treasure trove of history. "[Visitors will] find plenty of things to do here that would still include history, such as Elfreth’s Alley, the Betsy Ross House, the Christ Church burial ground, the Museum of American Revolution, and the National Constitution Center," Val said. She emphasized that walking tours through the historic district, as well as visits to open-air sites, remain excellent options for those determined to soak up the city’s storied past.
Indeed, a number of historical sites and museums remain open as of October 1, 2025. These include the Betsy Ross House, Christ Church and its burial ground (where Benjamin Franklin is buried), Elfreth's Alley, Franklin Square, the Independence Seaport Museum, Mother Bethel AME Church and the Richard Allen Museum (by appointment), the Museum of the American Revolution, the National Constitution Center, the National Liberty Museum, and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (open on weekends, but visitors are advised to check schedules online). Other cultural gems such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, The Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Penn Museum, the Mütter Museum, the Science History Institute, the Museum of Illusions Philadelphia, Cherry Street Pier, and the Philadelphia Magic Gardens are also operating as usual.
Some sites, however, are closed for reasons unrelated to the shutdown. The African American Museum on Arch Street, for instance, is temporarily shuttered for the installation of its upcoming exhibit, "Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design," and is scheduled to reopen on November 1, 2025.
For many travelers, the confusion surrounding what is open and what is not has only added to their frustration. Information has been inconsistent, with some websites and voicemail messages offering limited or contradictory updates. The Department of the Interior’s contingency plan states that park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will "generally remain" open, but parks without accessible areas are closed. At Valley Forge National Historic Park, for example, visitors are met with a voicemail stating that calls will not be serviced during the shutdown, while the park’s website banner says "national parks remain as accessible as possible," and its Facebook page warns that "services may be limited" without further details. Meanwhile, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, owned by the Gettysburg Foundation, remains open.
As the shutdown stretches on, the impact on federal employees is becoming more acute. TSA agents and air traffic controllers are still working, but without pay, and some support staff are furloughed. The sight of park rangers standing outside closed buildings, mandated to work but unable to welcome visitors, struck a chord with many. Jess Haddad, a visitor from Central Jersey, told The Philadelphia Inquirer, "I think it’s crazy that people are mandated to work when it’s not open."
The political fallout has not gone unnoticed. Some tourists, frustrated by the disruption to their long-anticipated trips, have directed their anger at lawmakers. Pat Cawiezel, an Illinois resident, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he and his wife had "planned and saved for a year" to visit Philadelphia’s historic sites. Blaming Democratic senators for the impasse, he vowed never to vote for one again, while expressing appreciation for Pennsylvania’s senators for "trying to do right by Pennsylvania." Such sentiments reflect the broader national frustration with the political gridlock in Washington that has led to this latest shutdown.
For now, tourists and locals alike are left to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. Some, like the Schmidts, find a measure of satisfaction in simply seeing the Liberty Bell through a window, while others turn to Philadelphia’s many other museums and attractions to fill the gap. The city’s tourism officials remain optimistic, insisting that Philadelphia’s rich tapestry of history and culture can still be experienced, even if some of its most famous doors are temporarily closed.
As the shutdown continues, the fate of Philadelphia’s historic landmarks hangs in the balance, but the city’s enduring spirit and wealth of alternative attractions ensure that the story of American democracy—though interrupted—remains very much alive for those willing to seek it out.
